Genièvre

Tennyson, Alfred Tennyson, Baron, 1809-1892Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

4.0

Word count: 38K words
Chapters: 4

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Genièvre by Baron Alfred Tennyson TennysonAuthor: Tennyson, Alfred Tennyson, Baron, 1809-1892,Language: French, Class: PQ: Language and Literatures: Romance literatures: French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Release Date: Dec 11, 2016

Editor's review

Genièvre is a narrative poem written in French by Baron Tennyson, centering on Guinevere from the Arthurian legend. Tennyson is best known for Idylls of the King, and this work can be seen as his attempt to write on Arthurian themes in French, with a language and versification that combine the refinement of Victorian poetry with the musicality of French. The Project Gutenberg edition is listed as French and is suitable as a text for comparative literature or poetry translation studies, and for readers familiar with French to appreciate the sound and rhythm of narrative verse. When reading, pay attention to the rhythm of the lines and the psychological portrayal of the characters, and consider how Tennyson handles themes such as betrayal, guilt, and courtly ethics in a short span. Readers unfamiliar with French may read alongside an English translation to observe the gains and losses of rhythm and diction in translation.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers familiar with French and interested in Victorian poetry
Literature students studying Arthurian legend and Tennyson's works
Teachers and students doing poetry translation or comparative literature exercises
Advanced readers who enjoy narrative poetry and courtly themes

Not a good fit for

General readers who cannot read French at all and do not wish to use a translation
Readers expecting a long epic or a complete Arthurian storyline
Poetry lovers who prefer modern free verse and contemporary themes

Reading tips

Read through once to grasp the narrative thread, then read section by section aloud to feel the rhythm of the French lines.
Read alongside an English translation, noting differences in key images and in the handling of characters' psychology.
Briefly learn the basic background of Guinevere in Arthurian legend before reading.
Consider excerpting favorite stanzas for translation practice and comparing diction choices across translations.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Why did Tennyson write this poem in French?

The ebook is listed as French, and the work presents the Guinevere subject in French. This offers a special text for studying Tennyson's multilingual writing and the transmission of Arthurian themes; readers may consider the relation between his language choice and poetic form, without treating it as a substitute for the standard English Idylls of the King.

Can I read this ebook without knowing French?

Reading it directly will pose clear obstacles, since the text is French poetry and rhythm and diction are central to understanding. It is advisable to read alongside an English translation, or first read an English summary of the Guinevere story and then work through it section by section with a dictionary, focusing on the rhythm of the lines rather than word-for-word translation.

Is this ebook suitable for classroom use?

It is suitable as supplementary material for courses on comparative literature, poetry translation, or Arthurian themes. Teachers may select several stanzas for students to discuss rhythm and diction against an English translation, but should note that public-domain ebooks usually lack notes and introductions, so background materials must be prepared separately.

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About the author

Tennyson, Alfred Tennyson, Baron, 1809-1892 Author

Alfred Tennyson, Baron Tennyson (1809-1892), was a British poet who succeeded Wordsworth as Poet Laureate in 1850. His representative works include Idylls of the King, Maud, and Other Poems, and Enoch Arden. This library holds 17 of his works, commonly classified under inspirational growth. Drawing frequently on classical and medieval legend, his poetry is finely crafted and highly musical, combining Romantic sentiment with a Victorian concern for morality, faith and the meaning of life; Idylls of the King uses the Arthurian legends to explore the conflict between duty and desire. Available public information is limited, and no further biographical details are provided.